Rope-cutting device.



H. E. WEAVER.

ROPE CUTTfNG DEVICE.

APPucAnou FILED AUG.14. 19w.

Patented May 7,1918.

h. 5 W60 v6," w W atfoznm ROPE-CUTTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1918.

Application filed August1 4, 1917. Serial No. 186,158.

, cation.

This invention relates to, a rope cutting device for cutting rope used in boring Artesian andother wells, and'for enabling the pieces cut fromthe rope, to be removed from the well.

Theinvention has for its object to produce a toolv of simple and improved constructionwhereby the rope may be conveniently cutand removed to affordaccess to the toolsat the bottom of the well.

A. further object ofthe invention is to produce a tool of the class described whereby therope will besevered by an upward pull on the cutting tool, thesevered pieces being removable from the well with the tool.

With these and other ends in View which will readily, appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred formof theinvention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,

but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rope cutting tool constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the operation of the device before the actual cutting of the rope.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 and showing the parts after severing the rope.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation illustrating a modification.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the knife or cutting blade detached.

Oorresponding parts in the several figures of the drawing are denoted by like characters of reference.

In the construction of the improved device there is provided a tube 15 of as large a diameter as can be conveniently lowered into the well where it is to be used. The tube is provided near its upper end with a wrench seat 16 and at its upper extremity it has a tool joint 17 consisting of a tapering externally threadedprojection of well known form.

The tube 15 at the lower end thereof has a reduced portion producing a wall 18 of substantially semi-circular cross section. Hingedlyconnected with the semi-circular wall portion is the shank 19. of a knife or cutter 20, said cutter being of substantially circular configuration and having a straight edge portion 21 with which the shank 19 is connected, and having at the side diametrically opposite to the shank 19, a V- shaped recess 22 the side walls of which present cutting edges 23. The diameter of the cutting blade '20 may be substantially equal to or slightly less than. the internal diameter of the tube 15, the parts being so proportioned thatthe cutting blade 20 may be swung upwardly within the semi-circular wall portion forming the reduced lower end of the tube so as to lie within the cross sectional area of said tube.

This is for the purpose of permitting a portion of a rope to pass by the cutting blade and to enter the tubular member 15 as will be best understood by reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing. The cutting blade, however, is free to swing downwardly to the position seen in Figs. 1 and 6 beyond the recessed portion of the tube 15, a stop member 24 being provided to limit the downwardly swinging movement of the cutting blade before it attains a position at ninety degrees with respect to the axis of the tubular member 15, the stop member being preferably arranged so as to intercept the blade when it reaches a position at an angle from sixty to seventy degrees with respect to the axis of the tube.

Assuming that a rope has parted in the well that is being bored and that the tools have become wedged or otherwise fastened can be fished out. In such case the improved cutting tool is lowered into the well, it being connected by the joint 15 witha lowering element. lNhen the rope indicated at 25 is reached, the rope will push the cutting blade 20 to a substantially upright position and the rope will enter the tube 15 which i may be of any desired length. When the rope reaches the top of the tube, the latter can be lowered no further andit is then pulled in an upward direction when the cutting blade, engaging the rope by its V-shaped recess 23, will force the ropeoutward in the direction of the well bore and, by continued pulling, will cut the rope as seen in Fig. 6. The severed portion of the rope may now be pulled out of the well and the operation repeated until the entire rope length has been disposed of.

It is sometimes desirable to use a cutting tool of a diameter smaller than the bore of the well. One reason for this is to lessen the liability of the tool to become wedged or to stick in the well bore. Another reason is to enable a single tool to be utilized. in well bores of diflerent sizes. To enable this to be done I resort to the modified construction illustrated particularly in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing. By this modification I secure externally on the tube 15 just above the reduced or cut-away portion 18, a band 40 which may be of a thickness of one-half inch, more or less. Connected with the band 40 is a piece of tube or casing l1 which extends approximately to the lower end of the tube 15, being 01 a length slightly exceeding that of the reduced or cut-away portion. This piece of tube or casing 41 may be of a diameter closely'approximating that of the well bore, but, being comparatively of short length, it is not liable to become stuck or wedged in the well bore. When the;device ;isin-actual use, the operation of the knife or cutting blade forces the rope that is to be cut, into engagement with the inner face of the tube or casing 11 instead .of in direct engagement with the wallof the well bore, the rope being thus effectively severed.

Having thus described the invention what and a cutting blade hingedly supported on 1 said wall portion and foldable' within" the cross sectional area of the tube.

2I'In-a device of the class described, a tube having a tool joint at its upper end, said tube being reduced at its lower end to produce a semicircular wall portion, and a cutting blade hingedly supported on said wall portion, and foldablewithin thecross' sectional area of the tube, and a stop memher to limit the downwardly and outwardly swinging movement of the cutting blade.

3. In a device of the class described, a

tube having a tool joint at its upper end, I said tube being reduced at its lower end-to produce a semi-circular Wall portion, a cutting blade hingedly supported on said wall portion and foldable within the same, a spacing band secured directly above the cut-away portion and a tube or casing se; cured on said spacing band and extending approximately to the lower end of the firstmentioned tube.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signare.

HOMER E. WEAVER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

1 WashingtomDrGJ' 

